Girl Child Programme… Maathamma

Maathamma, originally uploaded by samjchar.

And in amongst the middle of all this other project work and Tamil lessons, I spent 5 days up on the border of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu visiting and observing some of the work that the Diocese are doing with Maathammas ( Temple Prostitutes) or otherwise known as the girl child programme. This area is incredibly isolated. Many of the people inhabiting the villages are illiterate and spend a lot of their time struggling to make ends meet.

The girl child programme is presently a delicate education initiative that will hopefully eventuate into a self help / training initiative. Presently within this border district, sick girl children are dedicated to the local village Hindu Goddess Maathamma in the hope that the Goddess will cure what ails their child. If the baby girl does get better, then as thanks to the Goddess, the girl upon reaching puberty is married / dedicated to the Goddess Maathamma and becomes available for any man to use for sex.

Now whilst this practise has been outlawed by the Andhra Pradesh Government numerous times, there is not a lot that can be done because this is part of the Hindu religion.

For five days I visited and sat with people who had incredible and horrific stories to tell that were all experienced in the name of religion.

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